Happy 234th!

On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress created a Corps of Marines to serve as an infantry unit aboard naval vessels, being responsible for the security of the ship and her crew by conducting offensive and defensive combat during boarding actions and defending the ship's officers from mutiny. Continental Marines also manned raiding parties, both at sea and ashore.

The role of the Marine Corps has since expanded significantly; as the importance of its original naval mission declined with changing naval warfare doctrine and the professionalization of the Naval service, the corps adapted by focusing on what were formerly secondary missions ashore. The Advanced Base Doctrine of the early 20th century codified their combat duties ashore, outlining the use of Marines in the seizure of bases and other duties on land to support naval campaigns.
Today the Marine Corps fulfills a vital role in national security as an amphibious, expeditionary, air-ground combined arms task force, capable of forcible entry from the air, land and sea. While the Marine Corps does not employ any unique combat arms, as a force it has the unique ability to rapidly deploy a combined-arms task force to almost anywhere in the world within days.

Happy Birthday Marines